


He Didn't Belong To The Night

by odinstark



Series: Fate Bound, Souls Melded, Hearts One [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Break Up, Denial of Feelings, Established Relationship, Eventual Relationships, I Made Myself Cry, Insecurity, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Sad, Self-Doubt, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-11-27 22:40:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20956082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/odinstark/pseuds/odinstark
Summary: a play on the soulmate id'ing mark trope. The marks don't show up until love has been confessed for all tied to be Together.I will Scream this trio till the end of time





	He Didn't Belong To The Night

The months they were together were fun. Sneaking around the castle in the dead of night, hiding in alcoves to avoid passing patrols and ending up making out behind the thick curtains.

There were the soft glances that never seemed to end. Embraces in the darkness and emptiness of the armoury. Gentle words of reassurance in the company of the rude. 

But like all good things, they must end.

He caught him the first time, glancing at Leon with a little more than friendship in his eyes. With Merlin's questioning eyebrow, he ducked away in embarrassment and the man could basically feel the warmth radiating from Elyan's face from where he stood five feet away.

He dismissed it.

It started again. 

Merlin got used to it. He couldn't blame the other Knight for falling for Leon, as he had. How was he to know he was already spoken for when the two hid their trysts in the dark and the shadows?

How could he blame him?

But then he could. 

Because Leon started looking back. 

And Merlin grew...resigned. Not jealous, not disappointed, just...silent acceptance. 

He knew from the moment that Leon shared his bed for the first time that they weren't fated. No mark appeared on his skin and neither on Leon's, and they accepted that. 

Merlin just wished Leon kept his promise about sharing his heart, the marks be damned. 

But he accepted it. And ended it. 

"Merlin please-" the blonde Knight pleaded, his fingers thread into the sleeves of Merlin's unresponsive arms. Fighting with his inner torment, he some how managed to keep his voice steady and his face blank, even though tears burned his throat.

"It's better this way. I know the way you look at him. Like he hung the stars. I can't compete with that and I'm not going to try to. Goodbye, Leon."

The dark haired man left the knights Chambers before he could get another word in.

Elyan was easier to confront, he had no tears left, and certainly none of the anger he felt he should have had.

"What do you mean? I haven't.." the ex-blacksmith began but trailed off when Merlin nodded his head at him, explaining that he did know, fully well.

"He looks at you like you hung the stars but you stare at him...like he painted the silver moon on this navy canvas. And like I told Leon, I won't get in the way of that."

And he left.

The days were lonely. 

Gwaine and Percival consoled him as much as they could while they were still in the dark about the whole thing.

Gwen excitedly showed off her soulmarks, a great dragon and noble steed, before realising her best friend's sadness and hid them from view. Merlin didn't let her continue that for too long.

Arthur annoyed him more and more, but he gave him soft words of thanks more often and gave him nights off more often than not.

Lancelot understood. Listened. 

It was still lonely. 

It didn't quite hurt to see them sharing all the things Leon and he had, he wasn't jealous he was...lost. 

And pretending he deserved a spot in a place he didn't belong. 

They cornered him in Lancelot's room. He thought his friend wanted to speak with him, urgently, as the messager boy had said, but when he reached the chambers, they awaited him.

They didn't lock the door and Merlin didn't know whether he'd argue with them or not if they had tried. They sat in silence until Elyan grabbed one of Merlin's hands gently. He wasn't sure why he let him hold his do closely, so easily, but he did.

Leon took up the other and together they confessed the deepest secrets of their hearts. 

That they loved him. That they wanted to be with him. That when he looked away, they looked at him, but he only ever caught them looking at the other. That they loved him. That they cherished him above all else. That they were sorry they hurt him. That they loved him.

Merlin confessed a lot too. Too much, not enough. Just the right amount. 

The mark of a moon formed just above his collarbone, in the center of his throat, at the base of his pale neck. Stars smattered his shoulders and upper chest. It was complete.

Elyan had a moon on the left side of his neck and Leon had stars splashed across his neck.

The sun glowed on each of their bodies. Elyan's on the right of his neck, the tendrils extending to kiss at his ear, his shoulder. Leon's formed at the top his spine, the rays stretching across lean back muscles. 

Though he might have hung the stars, and he painted the moon...you are but the sun. 

Eternal.


End file.
